tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255808252082956251.post9030285579565399290..comments2024-02-16T01:48:30.016-08:00Comments on mathbionerd: Quality of Deathmathbionerdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17525536407206138695noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255808252082956251.post-38243075172490890202009-03-19T18:06:00.000-07:002009-03-19T18:06:00.000-07:00Actually, it's the authors who suggest a causal re...Actually, it's the authors who suggest a causal relationship. This is from the article. <BR/><BR/>"These results suggest that relying upon religion to cope with terminal cancer may contribute to receiving aggressive medical care near death," the authors write in today's Journal of the American Medical Association.<BR/><BR/>To me it's like doing a study in a bar and finding that beer drinkers are 3 times more likely to drink a shot than people who drink tea. There is something internal that drives the behavior. In the case studied, I think people are seeking external solutions to internal stresses. <BR/><BR/>I wonder if I can get a grant to study the beer/shot connection thing. lolGeorgeRNhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04904186446899894816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255808252082956251.post-25150126421960586572009-03-19T14:36:00.000-07:002009-03-19T14:36:00.000-07:00I completely agree that there isn't a causal relat...I completely agree that there isn't a causal relationship. I should be more careful in my wording. However, I do think there is a definite correlation between the type of person who adheres dogmatically to any view, and the type of person who cannot come to terms with the end of life.mathbionerdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14840323837463645808noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255808252082956251.post-67493089710671796242009-03-18T23:40:00.000-07:002009-03-18T23:40:00.000-07:00I just read the article and I think they may be in...I just read the article and I think they may be inserting a causal relationship where none exists. They've found a link between relying on religion and requesting heroic measures near the time of death. That doesn't mean that one caused the other. Both may be an indication that the person is not comfortable with their mortality. I think that people who pray daily for a cure would certainly be more likely to request a full code than those who are at peace with the end of life and who aren't asking for divine intervention. That doesn't mean the folks who aren't asking for heavenly favors are less religious.<BR/>They're just more in tune with the cycle of life. JMHOGeorgeRNhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04904186446899894816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255808252082956251.post-15250125154569502552009-03-18T23:27:00.000-07:002009-03-18T23:27:00.000-07:00From a healthcare point of view, the way people ap...From a healthcare point of view, the way people approach end of life is very individual. The best approach is not to assume one choice or another but instead to ask what the patient/family want and supporting their choice.<BR/> One interesting thing I've run into is that Native Americans tend to want death delayed as long as possible. I remember a patient who was in multisystem failure, IV nutrition, continuous dialysis, rotation bed, non-responsive, and on a ventilator. She was listed as a full code. She was not going to get better but the family still wanted everything possible done to delay death. Also, the patient did not have insurance or means to pay so we, the taxpayers, ended up paying for her healthcare. I sometimes wonder if the family would have opted for as much care if they were paying the bills. But that is another discussion.GeorgeRNhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04904186446899894816noreply@blogger.com